Top Five Kickers for the 2014-2015 NFL season

The kicker is a vital part of any football team. They score more points than any position player, and are often deciding factors in close games. Though they don’t get paid a lot, kickers are certainly valuable. Here are the top five kickers for the 2014-2015 season.

5. Steven Hauschka, SEA- Seattle’s Steven Hauschka comes in at number five. Hauschka was crazy accurate during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl season, making 33 of 35 field goals attempted with a long of 53. He was a perfect 8 for 8 in the postseason and also showed improvements in the kickoff game with 48 touchbacks. Hauschka recently signed a deal with the Seahawks worth over $9 million to keep him in Seattle though 2017.

4. Mason Crosby, GB- After a disappointing 2012 season, Packers kicker Mason Crosby came back in 2013 and was tremendous. Crosby made 33 of 37 field goals with an impressive long of 57 yards in 2013; he also made both his field goals in their one playoff game against San Francisco. Crosby will turn 30 years old during the beginning of the season, however, age doesn’t seem to affect kickers nowadays. Crosby will likely have another solid year in 2014.

3. Stephen Gostkowski, NE- The Patriots’ veteran had another great year in 2013, making 38 of 41 field goals with a long of 54 yards. Gostkowski is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. He is also the second player in NFL history to score 500 points in his first four seasons in the league, and the first to score 1,000 points in his first eight seasons in the league (despite missing half the 2010 season). Gostkowski also holds the record for highest average points per game scored over a career at 8.53, and is the first player since the AFL-NFL merger to lead the league in scoring in three different seasons (2008, 2012, and 2013). He’s still just 30 years old, Gostkowski will still be one of the best for years to come.

2. Justin Tucker, BAL- Justin Tucker’s first two seasons in the NFL were some of the best we’ve seen in a long time. In two seasons, Tucker already has been an All-Pro, Pro-Bowler, and Super Bowl Champion. He holds these accomplishments for a reason, so far he’s 68 of 74 on field goal attempts with a long 61 yard game winning bomb against the Detroit Lions last year. It’s amazing what an undrafted free agent can do when given his chance. Tucker has been sensational, with many good years to come.

1. Matt Prater, DEN- Broncos kicker Matt Prater comes in at number one on my list, after a record setting season for a team that set plenty of records. He only missed one field goal during the 2013 season, going 25 of 26. One of those was an NFL record 64 yard miracle against the Tennessee Titans. He also made an NFL record 75 PAT’s, Peyton Manning had a lot to do with that. Prater has the incredibly strong leg to perhaps one day break his own record. The accuracy is there for sure, a combination that makes Prater the best the league has right now.